January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 1
January-February 2015
• A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR THE STUDENTS OF NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DANVERS, MIDDLETON, LYNN, & BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS • •READ THE PENNON ONLINE AT: NORTHSHORE.EDU/PENNON•
Ethanol-Based Fuel Page 2
Red Sands
Page 4
The Republican Congress
Page 5
Charlie Hebdo
Page 6
A welcome letter from President Patricia Gentile By Patricia Gentile NSCC President
Greetings, I hope this semester finds you rested, refreshed and ready to embark on another productive and engaging semester at North Shore Community College! We are particularly excited as this is NSCC’s 50th year. The college opened its doors to a class of 474 students in 1965. Today, over 250,000 North Shore residents have come to NSCC to receive education and training to help them reach their dreams. These are the same folks who are contributing to the economic and workforce development of the region, and to making the North Shore of Massachusetts such a great place to live and work! The college and its students have changed a great deal over the past 50 years, yet much stays the same. NSCC remains totally
committed to In addition to the success of your studies, its students NSCC offers and to supporta wide range ing them in of events and attaining that activities for success, howyou to particiever defined. pate in. A speToday we are cial calendar particularly of events is interested in available this student com50th pletion – in Anniversary making sure year and I that you President Gentile at NSCC’s 2015 Commencement Ceremony urge you to achieve the student. And if money is an take part in what you can. We degree or credential that you set issue, and you are a student in look forward to another semesout to, before moving onto your good standing, we have impleter of club and Student next challenge. We have found mented a special pilot program Government activity, as well as that more and more students are this year that may be able to an outstanding recognition of reducing their course loads to assist you. If you’re thinking student creativity and talent durattend college part time. While May 2015 might be a good time ing Arts in April and the publiwe understand that there are to graduate if you can fit in an cation of our literary magazine, many valid reasons for this, we extra course with some extra Spark. also want to encourage you to financial help, contact our reach your goals as quickly as Registrar Mel Potoczak at mpoAs we begin to envision how we possible, to take 15 credits if tocza@northshore.edu. would like North Shore you are enrolled as a full time
CommUniverCity at Lynn launches with Fall summit Over 150 educators, community organization representatives, elected officials and members of the North Shore Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and Career Center convened recently to begin North Shore Community College’s new collaborative innovation – the CommUniverCity at Lynn. The CommUniverCity at Lynn is an urban educationworkforce development collaboration involving NSCC, Lynn Public Schools, Salem State University (for bachelor degree completion programs at NSCC Lynn campus), the city of Lynn, Lynn Community Health Center (providing access to comprehensive health services to NSCC students), and the North Shore WIB (bringing career services to the NSCC campus) working in tandem to build seamless pathways in public education from pre-K all the way through to gainful employment. Massachusetts Senator
Thomas M. McGee is also a supportive leader of the initiative. Attendees were welcomed by the CEOs of all the partners, then divided into working groups to brainstorm what is needed in terms of either academic pathways or financial literacy/social service supports. “Today we are here to lay the groundwork for establishing a collective vision for the CommUniverCity at Lynn,” said NSCC President Pat Gentile, outlining the goals of
the CommUniverCity Summit. “This Summit provides a forum where attendees can draw on creativity and group discussion to construct education pathways from Lynn schools, to NSCC, to SSU and into sustainable careers.” Lynn Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said, "I love it when people dream big about Lynn. Thank you for bringing your big ideas to our little city President Gentile. The timing is perfect.” Dr. Patricia Maguire
Meservey, President of SSU, noted, "It is wonderful to harness the energy and devotion to Lynn with this strategic initiative." Senator Thomas McGee noted, “This unique initiative successfully unifies the efforts of major organizations on the North Shore, none of which can do all that is needed alone, but we CAN do it together." Dr. Cathy Latham, Superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, said, “This program
Spark Magazine
Page 9
Community College’s next 50 years to look like, we turn to you, our students for ideas and suggestions. Connect with us on the college’s social media platforms of Facebook. Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn or Flickr to share your perspectives and to begin new discussions.
I wish you a very happy, healthy and robust semester of learning and growing at NSCC. Please take advantage of all that the college has to offer you in and out of the classroom and don’t hesitate to let us know how we can serve you even better. Ciao, Patricia A. Gentile President
will help our students understand career and college pathways and be able to better envision their futures.” Lori Abrams Berry echoed the enthusiasm of other partners and commented that the Lynn Community Health Center was delighted to have been invited to the table. “We are here today to begin the process of change. It may be a tad painful at times, but it is exciting as well,” said NS WIB ED Mary Sarris. “True learning never ends and education and training are both key components that this program will try to better coordinate.” Results of the Summit will be compiled and its Steering Committee will convene to prioritize how the group will move forward with implementation.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 2
Adding and Dropping Classes Page 2 – NSCC Pennon
By Anne-Marie Fortier Retention Specialist
If you are not sure whether you should drop a course you should visit with your advisor or stop by the Student Support Center for advice.
You registered for your classes. You paid for your classes—either on your own or through financial aid. You arranged your schedule so you can attend your classes. You go to your classes.
Last but not least... Let's say you've decided to drop the class. Make sure you officially drop it! Don’t just stop going to class! This will only lead to unpaid bills and bad grades.
Problem—You don’t like one of your classes.
Questions? Go to the Student Support Center. We want to make sure you are on track and working towards your academic and career goals.
Or—worse yet—you don’t like any of your classes! What do you DO?!
First don’t panic. Sometimes the first class or two requires some adjustment to the instructor’s expectations. Afterward you might feel more comfortable. Still not comfortable? Here is
By Jessie Nocella Environmental Writer
One day, when I woke up, the skies seemed a little bluer; the birds were in tune with every whistle. The breeze was crisp with the slight wisp of vegetables. The world was just the same as it always had been, busy and fast paced. Things seemed a little bit cleaner now and people were just a bit happier as they woke up and stepped outside for a fresh breath of morning air. Going out to the garage I started my car only to realize it was on E. On either side of the road were miles of land. Strong green stocks rose as high as mountains and swept across the landscape. The first rays of sunlight hit the fields and reflected a golden glow to welcome the day. A few miles down the road I stopped at the nearest gas station to refill my tank. I swiped my credit card and checked the options: E85, E100 or E150. My new hybrid was capable of running on pure Ethanol and, now that the crop sources were increasing in size, the fuel prices were starting to go down. After all the time that people doubted cleaner gasoline, we finally made it in a full circle where ethanol is the new gas, corn is the main cash crop, and outsourcing is lower than ever. This is how I picture I’d wake up years after ethanol fueled cars have become prominent in the car market. Ethanol is currently blended into our gasoline either as an E10 or E15 mixture. It is a domestically produced alcohol fuel from plant materials like
what you need to think about before dropping a class… • Does this class need to be completed before you can register for other classes? Reading, Writing, and Math classes often fall in this catego-
ry. Dropping this class or not attending means you will just have to retake the class before you can register for other classes anyway. • Dropping a class (or not attending the class without
dropping) can mean that your financial aid will be affected. • You are required to complete at least 60% of the classes you have registered for. If you do not, you will be on academic probation.
Environmental Corner: More than just a vegetable
corn, sugar cane or grasses. Today, ethanol has been spread around the country and can be found in almost all of the gasoline we consume. E85 is currently the highest form of ethanol for FFV’s (Fuel Flexible Vehicles), and 51%83% of its composition is ethanol, depending on various external factors. In my imaginary world, E85 would be the lowest concentration of blended gasoline given to us and E100 or E150 would contain an almost pure gasoline straight from corn/plant sugars. The thought of this seems just too far out of reach for our present society, but I think if we went about it with the mindset of Henry Ford it
would be possible. There is a quote of his that states, “One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.” If we looked at ethanol as an ongoing process of fixing and recreating for our future benefit, we would some day be able to build a more environmentally conscious world of transportation. Industrial work sites could be turned into acres of farmlands and our constant need to outsource from foreign countries would slowly diminish as more crops were grown. Since we would need a lot more land than just states with a consistent warm climate, there could be a development of year-
round indoor irrigation farms, which are massive amounts of land that are kept in some type of greenhouse atmosphere with controlled weather to keep up with the constant demand The website ethanolrfa.org outlines the various positive effects of ethanol in regard to air pollution and the environment. For example, according to them, “Ethanol reduces tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 30%, toxics content by 13% (mass) and 21% (potency), and tailpipe fine particulate matter (PM) emissions by 50%.” There are more than 17.4 million Fuel Flexible Vehicles on the road today but most owners don’t even know that they have
the choice of using an ethanol fuel. If all these cars actually did run on high amounts of ethanol, we could decrease toxicity and pollution in the air over the span of several years. Imagine if someday we could reach the point where everyone had these vehicles and todays engines were just antiques. It would be a major change and take getting used to, but in the long run it would create a better environment for our future generations and would advance us to a new form of green living. The draw back as of now is that ethanol-run cars get 15%30% less miles per gallon and that the demand would be too great compared to production. If cars were redesigned to be fully FFV’s, they would be able to process the ethanol and would probably run more efficiently than cars that use mixed blends. For the production, it would take time, patience, and money, but in the big picture it would make our lives better. If these farms were to replace oil industries, supplant fracking operations, and utilize unused land, we would have an overabundance of corn. It could become our main cash crop and source of income as an upcoming business in the United States. There’s a reason ethanol is already being blended into our gas: it holds hope for a cleaner future, and we need to take advantage of what that could create.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 3
Travel & Culture Costa Rica: cloud forests and volcanos By Amber Quigley Contributing Writer
Costa Rica, officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica, is one of seven countries located in Central America. It is located just north of the equator and, as such, the climate is tropical year round. The lush, tropical climate lends perfectly to accommodate two beautiful cloud forests, Monteverde’s Cloud Forest and Santa Elena Cloud Forest, where you can explore trails, view native wildlife and enjoy picturesque waterfalls. As part of Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests, which are often referred to as “jewels of the earth”, the Central Cordillera Mountain Range or Central Highlands receives most of the rain. These areas are also home to some of the country’s more active volcanic peaks; Poás, Irazù and Turrialba. The best-known and most visible volcano, however, is Arenal, which is northwest of San José. The Monteverde’s Cloud Forest is a breathtaking sight. Located at an elevation well high above sea level, it is aptly named, as the clouds and mist are perpetually present and amply supply the level of moisture necessary to maintain the rainforest climate. The precipitation is a notable 12 feet of rain per year. Cloud forests are found in other locations across the globe, but none are comparable to Monteverde’s Cloud Forest, which is characterized by always having nearly 100% humidity and being cloud-covered nearly all of the time. The Cloud Forest is a protected reserve of about 26,000 acres, which provides guided tours, giving travelers the opportunity to see hundreds of native species of insects, monkeys, cats, deer, sloths, and birds. One of the more famous birds is called the Resplendent Quetzal, which many ornithologists consider one of the world’s most beautiful birds. From various points within the Monteverde Cloud Forest, on a clear day, which is admittedly rare, you can see both the Pacific and Caribbean Coasts. The Santa Elena Cloud Forest is similar to the Monteverde Cloud Forest (they border each other), however it is more remote and thus much less visited. This provides the Santa Elena Cloud Forest with a greater sense of nature: the trails are less traveled and you can hear the animals a bit clearer. There is such an abundance of
plant species that one variety will grow right on top of another. Notably, the 766-acre Santa Elena Cloud Forest belongs to the Santa Elena High School. Originally, the land was going to be used for agricultural research, but the farming was unsuccessful and in 1989 the land was converted into a cloud forest reserve. A Santa Elena community and a Canadian non-profit organization (Youth Challenge International) then partnered and the reserve opened for eco-friendly visitors/tourists in March of 1992. The revenue derived from tourism goes directly to preservation and educational/school improvements for local children in the Monteverde area. The other main attraction of Costa Rica for those who desire excitement and awe is the natural wonder of the “inactive” volcanos that rise up above the Costa Rican landscape. As previously stated, the most visited and best known is the Arenal Volcano. Arenal is a stratovolcano, which means it is built upon many layers of ash, rock and lava. It stands 5,437 feet tall and can be seen from miles away. Arenal was a very quiet volcano but after 400 years of inactivity, it exploded in 1968 and left an area of more than 5 miles buried in lava and ash, tragically killing 87 people. After that eruption, Arenal was still active, but on a much lesser scale, and in 2010 it entered a “resting phase.” Another feature that Arenal has given to the landscape of Costa Rica is its natural springs due to the geothermal activity. These springs are each unique as some contain hot pools and some contain cold pools. Depending on where you stay, some resorts have springs located in the facility – the resorts having literally been built around the springs. But, have no fear: even though
Arenal Volcano
resorts have adopted some of the springs are part of their vacation environment, there are plenty of other hot springs located all around the Arenal area (which you can typically visit for a token fee). The Poás, Turrialba, and Irazù volcanos are all located in the Central Highlands. These volcanos are active and their geysers of smoke or steam can be seen on a daily basis. The best time to visit these volcanos is between January and April, usually in the morning. Best viewing is had before the early afternoon, before the clouds invariably roll in. Each of these volcanoes has unique characteristics that makes each a must see. On the way to the Poás Volcano, you can see many coffee and flower farms and upon arrival at the summit you will hear its gurgling and see the steaming crater. The Irazù Volcano is the tallest volcano in Costa Rica at 11,260 feet. It has a mineral-rich lake that can change color from green to red. The fumaroles (openings in the earth’s crust) and the type of minerals in the lake will mystically make the color change. On your journey to the summit of the Turrialba Volcano you can still see where the lava flowed from past eruptions, and once there you can see the Atlantic Coast and some of the other surrounding volcanos. Costa Rica is a truly beautiful place. A visit to any of the aforementioned locations would be a great vacation for those who wish to explore uninhabited areas of the world, see nature up close, and don’t mind the humidity. You may have a few bad hair days, but this trip would be worth it!
Page 3 – NSCC Pennon
Familismo in Hispanic culture By Victoria C. Albano Contributing Writer
Cultural competence in healthcare is the ability to work and behave in cross-cultural environments with the goal of minimizing health disparities. Understanding or openness to discover and understand a culture’s values can lead to greater patient participation in healthcare, better clinical outcomes, and increase in satisfaction with health care providers. In the Hispanic culture one such value is familismo, a social framework that is centered on interfamily relationships rather than the individual. Familismo is fundamental and affects decision-making and behavior of Hispanics. As a health care professional it is important to be aware and knowledgeable of this family dynamic when treating and caring for patients of the Hispanic culture in the hopes of creating better outcomes and provider-patient relationships. In the Hispanic culture, the extended family takes an active role in decision-making when a person is diagnosed with a serious medical condition and many of the extended family members will also attend doctor’s visits (Young, 2010). It is common for the grandmother in a Hispanic family to be the primary caretaker. The grandmother or la abuela also has a prominent role in deciding what family members are fed and what remedies are used in treating illnesses. Meetings concerning a patient’s health care treatment should be open to include extended-family members when appropriate. A large gathering of family members may interfere when caring for a patient at bedside, safety of the patient is of upmost priority. However, when space allows the inclusion of multiple family members may aid in adherence to the treatment regimen. The familismo value can also improve patient outcomes. A tight knit family can be a source of support and guidance for an ill patient. Multiple family members may be able to contribute to the financial burden an illness can bring. If the familismo has many members then support for daily living may be made easier, members can provide help with traveling to appointments, picking up necessary prescriptions, and caring for the patients home while hospitalized. Most impor-
tantly family members can offer social-emotional support a patient may go through when being diagnosed with a serious illness. Although there are many positives to having lots of support it is important to remember that the hierarchy within the Hispanic family may lead to a delay in medical decisions. The oldest male is the authority figure and may be in charge of making the ultimate decision for the patient. This hierarchy is. If a medical decision is not urgent then it is important to solicit opinions from family members and allot time for extended family member involvement. Respect is also a core value of the Hispanic culture and familismo framework. This value of respect may hinder a patient’s ability to ask questions due to a fear of offending the physician. It is important that the healthcare professional is constantly assessing the level of understanding of the patient and his or her family in order to ascertain safe and appropriate medical treatment. The healthcare team should also keep the line of communication open and build a rapport with the patient and family. The healthcare team should also make an effort to show respect to the family. A friendly handshake or greetings in native tongue are both examples of a way to exhibit mutual respect. In my experience as a nurse, I have seen many more positive than negative implications of the familismo structure. It is a beautiful experience to see how loved someone can be and how much support is available when one is sick. However, it can become very complicated when the patient has a more serious illness and requires immediate medical attention. Hospital rooms tend to be very small with lots of equipment, wires, and tubing and most rooms are not private. Multiple family members can be a source of interference for providers and can hinder the patient’s recovery. Overall, awareness and competence of different cultures can create better outcomes.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 4
Page 4 – NSCC Pennon
The Veterans Corner: Red sands
By Gabriel Nunez Veterans Corner Master Sergeant Skinner was a meat and potatoes guy; at 6’4” and 250 pounds, he was a giant compared to his Afghan Soldiers. A country boy from Harlan County Kentucky, he joined the Army when he was 18 years old. Sent here on his third deployment, he knew Afghanistan well: its sights, sounds and eclectic smells. But the 40-year-old Skinner also knew something about Afghanistan most Generals have failed to account for going back as far as Alexander the Great: the “human terrain.” Mighty powers have come and fallen in Afghanistan but small outfits led by competent men like Skinner can survive and win skirmishes against the locals. This is due to the fact that outfits like Skinner’s are units designed to live amongst the population and fight alongside recruited Afghan mercenaries who choose to fight against their own countrymen rather than partake in whatever insurgency happens to be going on at that point in time. Soldiers of Fortune Skinner’s Platoon had been very successful so far on this deployment, showing an ability to contend with the Taliban and most of the times inflict great damage upon them. Men like Skinner have walked this blood stained sand for centuries, whether they be Greeks, Russians or Americans, and alongside these men stand members of the Afghan National Army, or ANA, which is the aforementioned mercenary outfit. “Jesus Christ!” Skinner said out loud. He took a knee in the opium field approximately a mile from penjeway hill. His job as an adviser was to lead the platoon-sized element of Afghan Soldiers he had personally trained. He slept, ate and lived with the Afghan Soldiers, advising them on every aspect of Soldiering. It wasn’t easy and they had their faults, such as smoking opium and hash on their down time, but that was a small price to pay. The pressure was on from higher ups for the Afghan Army to be up and running, on drugs or not. Stoned Soldiers and Opium Ambushes “Did you see that gawt-dayum bomb?” Skinner whispered to Mohamed, his Senior Afghan partner and Soldier. Given that Mohamed spoke little to no English, he just looked at Skinner, shrugged his shoulders and pointed in the direction of the smoke plume; that was his answer for everything. Skinner had his radio tuned into Eagle Six’s frequency and overheard the recent conversation the F-18 had been having with another unit being torn apart on top of the very hill
they were now trying to maneuver too. “Not good,” Skinner thought, “We have to get to penjeway hill and reinforce that unit Mohamed, get your men ready to move.” “PUT THAT GAWT D A M N HASHISH OUT A H M E D ! ” Ahmed just laughed and made indiscernible noises. Suddenly one of the Afghan Soldiers stood up as if he heard something and let out an uncontrolled and wild volley of PKM machine gun fire “PKK PKKK PKK PKK PKK PKK!” The PKM machine gun had a very familiar sound; two more soldiers stood up and joined the stoned Afghan with their AK-47’S. “JESUS #$%!” Skinner ran up to them and chastised them for firing at nothing and wasting ammo. “Great,” Skinner said, “Not even noon and they’re stoned out of their minds.” Skinner grabbed his radio and attempted to hail HQ. “Neptune Six this is Coal Miner Seven.” Three attempts passed without communication. “No comms with HQ, we’re moving anyway.” Skinner mustered his element and moved them out from the mud hut they had been camped out in since the previous night, when they patrolled there from a previous objective. Afghanistan was a harsh land but this particular area was lush and green, with the majority of irrigation being used for opium and marijuana fields. Skinner pushed his unit into an opium field. He wasn’t a stranger to these opium fields but he was on extreme alert entering this particular field. He wished there was another way to the hill but it simply was not possible; the terrain would not allow for maneuvers around the field. Skinner knew if he could just push through this field quickly he could reach the hill in half the time and possibly flank the attacking Taliban. Opium fields are well-known ambush points and going through the field would leave them exposed. The only other route possible would be the village and it was already congested with a group of 10th Mountain and Sappers tasked to clear it. Three mornings before, Skinner had called his wife and kids back home and was able to tell them how much he loved them, even though the deployments had been tough on all of them. In two more weeks he was coming home on R&R, and they talked about all of the things they were going to do when he got home. He reached
into his pocket and squeezed the letter his wife had sent recently; she sprayed perfume on it and sealed it with a lipstick kiss. He carried it everywhere with him and he knew that if he had that letter with him he and his unit would be ok. It was his lucky charm. “Two more weeks.” he said to himself. Mohamed pushed out first with Skinner ten meters behind him, with Skinner subsequently turning and waving his arms to signal his troops to fan out in the field. “Almost there,” Skinner thought, “100 more meters and we’ll be killing Taliban in no time”. Brother Against Brother The Taliban Soldier had been watching them for most of the time, confused at first by what he was seeing. He knew these were not Americans, as he had hoped, but instead his fellow countrymen from the north. “Invaders either way,” the Afghan thought, “Afghanistan is for the Pashtun not the Turkmen, Uzbeck, Tajik or the Hazara.” The Talib had a long black beard and shaved head; he was ready for martyrdom if necessary and the steady doses of painkillers and amphetamines kept fear and selfpreservation at a safe distance. The Talib was attacking the hill when his commander sent himself and three others to cut off any American reinforcements coming from the south. What would take Skinner and his band of Afghans an hour took the Taliban soldiers fifteen minutes. The Taliban Soldier was sitting perfectly in a mud tower built into a wall facing the poppy field. He checked his weapon, a Chinese PKM with 100 rounds ready to go, before he looked over at the other Taliban troops placed strategically along the wall, their weapons all fixed on the approaching patrol. The Taliban machine gunner began to pick his target when suddenly he saw an American, thinking “Could it be this easy?” No Turning Back Skinner heard a sound he knew all too well “PKK PKK PKKK PKKK PKKK!” He saw the smoke plumes from the tower in the distance and he knew this was not his Soldiers firing sporadically again but
instead enemy fire. “MOHA-“ The words didn’t make it out of his mouth b e f o r e Mohamed hit the ground dead. “ % $ # @ ” Skinner thought, those sneaky bastards flanked us first. Skinner hit the ground; rounds raked the earth all around him. He swung his weapon into operation and began firing in the direction of the tower but the enemy fire just intensified. He stood to start giving commands, only to see half his element dead or dying, and then the RPG’S came. “REEEEEEEEEEEEEBOOOOOOM!” Skinner went flying through the air, landing with a thud “UMPPHH!” He franticly checked himself to see if he was still alive. All limbs were accounted for and he was still breathing, still in the fight. “RALLY!” Skinner shouted, standing and yelling at the remaining members of his unit who had began to rout. Three Afghans turned and saw him and, to his amazement, they started running towards him. They dived towards him, their faces blank and in shock. He could tell they had thought he was a goner. “Ishmail, Yusef, Assim on me, we’re going to engage them. Keep your head down and fire accurately, spread out, and stay behind cover!” The Taliban could no longer see Skinner and his men; they had fallen into a ditch. Pausing firing his weapon, one of the Taliban soldiers looked over at his fellow comrade and ordered him to flank the ditch. To The Last Breath Skinner threw a smoke grenade and began firing his rifle, his Afghan counter parts following suit. Spread out, they could now lay down effective fire and not be overwhelmed but Skinner had realized his fatal flaw too late. Their flanks were not protected, and with his entire thirty-man platoon dead, dying or in retreat he could not hope to sufficiently to hold a flank. He had to withdraw and retreat, “FALL BACK!” Skinner shouted, pointing frantically with his right hand. He stood to move towards his men to grab them one by one to begin the withdraw when suddenly he saw a three Taliban soldiers on his right flank, one of them pointing a PKM at him. “PKKK PKKK PKKK PKKK PKK!” The first bullets ripped through his legs, dropping him to the ground. He lifted his hand and reached for his handgun. He braced himself up with his elbow to aim, only to watch his three loyal Afghan Soldiers
being ripped apart one after the other by the PKM. “I’m sorry,” Skinner thought, “I let you all down.” He pointed his gun and fired his pistol. “BANG BANG BANG!” he hit one Talib square in the head and dropped him, but with that the one with the PKM took aim at him. The first rounds ripped through his arm and he dropped face down into the dirt. “This is it,” Skinner thought, “This is the end.” He reached into his pocket and grabbed his wife’s letter and squeezed it, thinking of Harlan County, his childhood, working in the coal mines and holding his first born at the hospital. He kissed his wife goodbye in his thoughts. “BRRRRRRRRRPPP!” the noise and earth shaking all around him brought him back from death. He knew that noise. “An A-10 warthog,” he thought, “It has to be.” “BRRRRRRRRPP!” he opened his eyes with the last bit of life he had left and saw that the Taliban had been was completely destroyed by the A-10. It came in for another run and hit the wall. “He got ‘em,” Skinner thought, “But you’re too late, America.” Skinners essence bled into the Afghan soil, another foreigner’s blood soaked into Afghanistan’s earth. The Lucky Ones The Sappers and Special Forces Soldiers looked at each other stunned at the top of Penjeway hill. They had survived the Taliban counter attack and began to help each other up and dust one another off. The huge bomb that had just been dropped almost on top of their heads had broken the Taliban counter attack; they were all alive somehow. “Look at that!”One of the Special Forces Sergeants said, “A-10’s strafing something out there.” “Isn’t the rest of your platoon out there?” The operator asked one of the young Sappers. “Yeah, they were trying to link up with some Master Sergeant named Skinner and his Afghan platoon.” the Sapper answered. The radio squelched alive “336 this is XRAY 1! WE ARE PINNED DOWN, REQUESTING IMMEDIATE EVAC! WE HAVE BEEN COMPRIMISED, I HAVE ONE INJURED!” The Special Forces commander responded to the men on the radio and assured them help was coming. The young Sapper turned and said out loud “a lot of that going on today.” To be continued…
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 5
Page 5 – NSCC Pennon
Now that 2015 is here, it’s time to think about your 2014 taxes! By Susan Sullivan Director of Financial Aid Student Financial Services
Every January 1st, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available for the next academic year. The 2015/2016 FAFSA is now available online at www.fafsa.gov. But before you can complete your FAFSA for next school year, you should complete your 2014 tax return. This will limit the amount of errors by using the Data Retrieval Tool through the FAFSA. The tool imports your tax information directly for the IRS. Employers, banks, col-
leges and businesses are required to send out all tax documents by January 31st. In order to complete your taxes, you may need a W-2 for wages earned in 2014 or a 1098T for tuition and fee charges. Once you have all the necessary documents, your next step would be to file your taxes. The Internal Revenue Service’s website at www.irs.gov is a helpful resource. The IRS can help you determine if you are required to file a return. Generally, if you earned more than $9,750 in wages or $400 in self-employment income for 2014, then you are required to file taxes. There are three
Educational Credit and Tuition Deduction programs available for students – Tuition and Fee Deduction, American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. Student or parents can deduct up to $4,000 in paid tuition and fees from their taxable income. The American Opportunity Credit allows for students or parents to receive a credit of up to $2,500. The Lifetime Learning Credit helps students with a credit of up to $2,000. There are reasonable online services available to file your taxes such as H&R Block and TurboTax. These inexpensive online programs walk you through the process, step by
step. There is also free help for low to middle-income taxpayers through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). Local VITA services are available at Centerboard in Lynn (270 Union St), North Shore Community Action Programs in Peabody (98 Main St) and Beverly (371 Cabot St). These resources will help you determine if you qualify for any of the education tax credits. Once you have completed your taxes you will want to complete the 2015/2016 FAFSA. NSCC is hosting FAFSA day on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Lynn Campus. This is sponsored by outside agencies to help stu-
dents fill out the FAFSA for free. There will be financial aid experts available to guide you through the process. You will need to sign up for the event at www.fafsaday.org. Taxes and the FAFSA can be scary, but there are many resources to help guide you through the process. The best advice to every student is to get your taxes filed early and file the FAFSA as soon as you can, so you do not miss out important deadlines.
Opinion: If congressional Republicans truly want to govern, the time is now By Anthony Harris Senior Writer Even among seasoned political experts, the scope of the Republican Party’s victories in the midterm elections on November 4th came as a surprise. A few highlights: • With the exception of New Hampshire, which was never as close as the media claimed, every single battleground Senate race went to the Republicans; • The GOP regained control of both chambers of Congress for the first time since 2007; • GOP gubernatorial candidates won in deep blue states like Massachusetts and Maryland ; • Controversial governors Rick Scott (R-FL), Scott Walker (RWI), and Sam Brownback (RKS) each won a second term. All told, 29 states’ governor’s mansions are now occupied by Republicans; • Nationwide, Republicans now control 68 of the 98 partisan state legislative chambers. In 23 states, the GOP won both the governorship and both legislative chambers. Only 7 states have Democrats in similar positions of power. Perhaps the Huffington Post’s headline on the morning after the election said it best: “OUCH”, with the “O” taken from Obama’s 2012 campaign logo. Right-wing commentators hailed the results as a sweeping rejection of President Obama’s policies and the Democratic party’s handling of Ebola, ISIS, immigration, and every other issue under the sun. Looming large over the hubbub was the question of whether the election’s outcome will bring an end to the gridlock that has ground the federal government to a halt. Republicans, now
armed with full control of Congress, have vowed to show their governing ability and put bills on the President’s desk – something that has become a rarity over the past four years. Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell, who will become Majority leader come January, vowed, “We’re going to pass legislation. This gridlock and dysfunction can be ended.” It’s a bold statement coming from McConnell, who hasn’t exactly been a model of bipartisanship. As Senate Minority leader since 2007, he has used the filibuster (a delaying tactic designed to prevent a vote on a bill) hundreds of times, far more often than any previous minority leader. He publicly stated his #1 goal was to make Obama a one-term president. The problems go far beyond him, though. Ever since Obama took office in early 2009, Republicans in Congress have been nearly unanimous in their opposition to the President’s legislative efforts. The 2009 economic stimulus,
widely credited with preventing a depression? 0 Republican votes in the House, 3 in the Senate. Cap and trade? 8 GOP votes in the House before the bill died in the Senate (the outright denial of climate change by many Republicans in Congress is an abomination in and of itself). Health care reform? Not a single Republican vote. Heated disagreement between the parties is nothing new in politics. What is new is the unreasonableness Congressional Republicans have exhibited since day one of the Obama presidency. Time and again, we’ve seen a party that only stands for saying “no” to Obama, blatantly ignores facts in favor of faulty talking points, and refuses to compromise regardless of the consequences. In 2011 budget talks, Republicans – adhering to a pledge championed by tax reform activist Grover Norquist – flatly refused to even consider raising taxes on high-income Americans, which leading econ-
omists agree are necessary to balance the federal budget. As a result, sequestration went into effect, causing deep across-theboard cuts in government spending. Instead of trying to improve Obamacare after its passage and help make the law work, Republicans in the House voted 54 times to repeal it, knowing full well that repeal was impossible with Obama still in office. Their barely-contained glee at healthcare.gov’s disastrous launch was the pinnacle of cynicism. The GOP’s obduracy has been even more profound since the rise of the tea party, whose members are ultraconservative and largely anti-government. Since the Republicans took the House in 2010, Congress hasn’t passed a single piece of major domestic legislation on any of the most pressing issues – immigration, jobs, infrastructure, climate change, you name it. Led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), these representatives embarked on a futile quest in 2013 to use the impending
government shutdown as leverage for defunding Obamacare or delaying its implementation – in effect, holding the country hostage to get what they wanted. When Democrats refused to meet the GOP’s demands, funding ran out and the federal government was shuttered for 16 days. In dollars and cents, it cost the still-recovering U.S. economy anywhere from $12 billion to $24 billion. In the bigger picture, it was even more damaging, another blow to the United States’s image at home and around the world. In what is supposed to be the world’s leading democracy, our government is mired in dysfunction, with one side acting spinelessly and the other refusing to cooperate and willing to derail the nation’s economy to make a political point. No one could plausibly argue that hyperpartisanship is a Republican-only phenomenon, and there are certainly examples of Democrats engaging in partisan bickering. But it would be a false equivalency to say the two parties have been equally culpable in recent years. With their anti-Obama monomania and disinterest in finding common ground, Congressional Republicans have done a disservice to their country these last six years and prevented us from addressing our most pressing crises. In light of that abysmal record, their pledges to restore collegiality and functionality to Congress ring utterly hollow. But the voters have spoken, and Republicans have a chance to put their money where their mouth is. Time will tell what they do with it.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 6
Page 6 – NSCC Pennon
Opinion: Charlie Hebdo and the problem of Radical Islam By Calvin Javier Gil Editor in Chief On January 7th, 2015, a horrible tragedy happened in Paris, France. Armed gunmen stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine with a strong focus on current events and politics, killing at least twelve people, and seriously injuring eleven others. Several critical members of the magazine’s staff, including Editor in Chief Jean Cabu, were among those killed, along with two police officers who were patrolling the premises. The attack was likely in response to Charlie Hebdo’s portrayal of the prophet Muhammad in some of their cartoons, which is forbidden in Islam, which the attackers claimed to be following. This event has provoked a strong response from the French populace, who have taken to the streets to protest in favor of free speech and against Islamic extremism. The attacks made some very big waves, to put it mildly. Many, though, may be wondering why this event is so important. Sure, it’s a tragedy and many innocent people lost their lives, but why are its cultural implications so much deeper than any other violent
attack? Well, there are two primary reasons that these events made such a big splash in Europe. Americans are intimately familiar with one of these reasons, and the other is one that is more unique to Europe. First, and perhaps foremost, is the idea that this attack is an infringement on free speech, a right that is critically important to the citizens of The United States of America and much of Western Europe. Of course, given that we’re all intimately acquainted with this issue, that much should be obvious to us. Expatriates of some middle eastern and eastern european countries, where freedom of speech isn’t a right the populace has, may have trouble grasping the importance of allowing all people to disseminate the opinions they wish, no matter how offensive they are, but most Americans understand. I think the general sentiment in America and much of western Europe is epitomized by the classic phrase, “I disagree with what you have to say, but I would fight to death for your right to say it.” Less obvious to us Americans would be the escalating tensions between Muslims and non-muslims in much of western
Europe. This conflict has been increasing in severity over the past few decades, with perceived official attempts to sweep the issue under the rug doing little to help the matter. Domestically, the best comparison would be to the sentiments of Bill Maher, who chided American liberals’ unwillingness to criticize Islam, despite the fact that the religion’s general views on many issues, from gay rights to feminism, is in stark contrast to the liberal western stance on these issues. Many citizens of Europe, it seems, are angered by the government’s unwillingness to foster an open dialogue on Islamic values, beliefs and just how easily the Quran can be misinterpreted, compared to other religions. As such, militantly anti-Islam and anti-immigration sentiment is growing at an alarming rate in Europe, and has been for many years. Charlie Hebdo is just the most recent instance of this becoming a huge, worldwide issue. A similar outcry happened approximately ten years ago, when filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was murdered in cold blood by an Islamic extremist for his exposé on sexism in Islam. Yet, noth-
ing has changed; in fact, the situation is much worse now than it was ten years ago. How, then, can this issue be addressed? First and foremost, in my opinion, an open dialogue on Islam must be established. Valid criticism of Islamic scripture, Islamic doctrine, and common Islamic beliefs cannot just be swept under the rug as Islamophobia or racism. If we want legitimate Islamophobia to end, we must acknowledge some Islamic beliefs which are incongruous to important aspects of western culture—even if makes every involved a bit uncomfortable. We do this with Christianity; Islam should be no different. By looking the other way with Islam, we encourage ignorance on both sides of the aisle; either over-idealizations of Islam or over-demonizations of Islam, both of which are very dangerous. In America, we have a taste of what this is like; the situation in Europe is more dire, due its greater concentration of Muslim inhabitants. Thanks in part to Europe’s perceived unwillingness to confront the issue, anti-Islam extremists, like Geert Wilders and his ‘party for freedom’, have gained considerable popularity
in Western Europe. Secondly, Islamic countries must become more open to reform and softening their harsh, Islam-based legal policies. Honestly, it’s a bit absurd that Turkey’s foreign minister joined the march for free speech in Paris when you can be locked up in that country for expressing controversial views or acting in a way that the government finds to be amoral or disagreeable. And as far as middle eastern theocracies go, Turkey is fairly mild; earlier this year, an Iranian blogger, Soheil Arabi, was sentenced to death by the Iranian government for insulting the prophet Muhammad in posts he made to Facebook. If middle eastern governments set a better example, perhaps Islamic Extremism will have less ideological fuel to run on. As it is, however, the opposite seems to be true. If any serious headway is to be made towards integrating Islam into western society, significant Islamic reform is necessary; mainstream Islam, throughout the world, must move closer to the western idea of moderate Islam, if the two ideologies are ever to co-exist in harmony.
By Yusef Hayes Contributing Writer A scene that has stuck with me from Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing is the one in which character of Smiley holds this picture of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X while Sal’s Pizza burns down. I have thought a lot about this film in the wake of the Andy Lopez, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner tragedies, and the Black Lives Matter movement that has responded to them. Malcolm and Martin are often noted for their differences, but this is a powerful opportunity to look at their similarities. The first similarity is that they were both internationalists. While dedicated to the cause of civil rights for the African-American community, the reach of their concern, compassion, and action was worldwide. For Martin Luther King Jr. this included work against apartheid in South Africa, his opposition to the war in Vietnam, and perhaps more importantly his practical and philosophical framing of the struggle for human dignity. While this may seem natural to us with historical hindsight, Henry Richardson III in his speech about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as an International Human Rights Leader, tells us that he “embodied this unity against the enormous negative power of Cold War thinking in
America” and he reminds us that “W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey and Paul Robeson worked and acted from this unity as well”. Malcolm X’s international journey is widely known. His travels throughout the Middle-East and Africa, and his profound connection with Maya Angelou in Ghana, are central to the narrative of Malcom’s life. The impact this had on his teachings is not always emphasized as much. He planned to bring the abuse and systematic oppression of the AfricanAmerican community before the United Nations. He said at Corn Hill Methodist Church in Rochester in 1965 “the problems of the Black man here in this country today have ceased to be a problem of just the American Negro or an American problem. It has become a problem that is so complex, and has so many implications in it, that you have to study it in its entire world, in the world context or in its international context, to really see it as it actually is”. The second similarity is that they both transformed the religions that they were a part of. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of non-violence and social justice permeate the modern Christian community. Christianity Today, the mainstream protestant magazine named Martin Luther King as
one of the ten most influential Christians of the Twentieth Century. While Sunday morning at eleven may still be the most segregated hour of the week in the US, there are significant movements within Christianity to enact and embody the multicultural vision of Martin Luther King Jr. Malcom X, and the religious movement he grew out of The Nation of Islam, continue to shape the practice, and perception of Sunni Islam in the United States. From the 1960’s through the 2000’s many Americans converted to Islam after being inspired by Malcom X, either through his biography or Spike Lee’s film. European American Writer Michael Muhammad Knight in Journey to the End of Islam, writes about sitting in the grand mosque in Mecca near the Kaaba and meeting an African-American Muslim, who, like Knight, was inspired in his Islamic journey through the example of Malcolm X. Lastly, they share the similarity of being misunderstood, misrepresented, and mythologized. It is not so much that we know a lot about the two of them and then get our interpretation wrong, more often we don’t even have the basic facts of their lives straight. ‘I Have a Dream’ is an amazing speech and ‘By Any Means Necessary’ makes a nice T-Shirt, but these
men were prolific in their thinking and spectacularly eloquent in their speaking, and I cringe when I think of them pigeonholed this way. Like many other great individuals we spend some time honoring the image of who they are, but little time learning about the complex human being they really were or what they taught. These similarities invite us to be better people, to think about the world while we act in it, to be
thermostats, not thermometers, as MLK urged us. Getting to know these two historical giants better may give us some of what we need to face the struggles of our own time.
The Faith Corner: Martin and Malcolm
d d
You can learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. and Macolm X in Troy Smith’s class: IDS136 - Martin and Malcolm: Advocates for Human Rights
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 7
The Sports Hayes: Can ya speed it up? By Kevin Hayes, Community Contributor
This one’s going to be a little different. The paper’s theme for this month is “innovative ideas to change the world”. While the sports section doesn’t really change what happens in Saudi Arabia, there are some things that can be done that can make the sporting event a better realm to endure than what it currently is. The most notorious offender of the sport fan is baseball. In 1903, the Boston Pilgrims (now known as the Red Sox) lost to the Washington Senators 1-0 in a game that took one hour and 3 minutes to complete. Now games take 3-4 hours to complete and that’s not counting extra innings. What happened? For one thing, in those days batters stood in the batters box and pitchers got the ball, threw it, got the ball back and threw it again. Nowadays pitchers take forever to throw and the batters dance around the batters box, slowing the game considerably. Nomar Garciaparra was the most notorious of these slowpokes as he stepped out after every single pitch to adjust his batting gloves. One way to help lagging ticket sales is to speed up the game. Establish a pitch clock for the pitcher and dock a batter a strike for taking too long to step in or out. This alone cut out 20 seconds per at-bat, which would hack off 20-30 minutes of game completion. The second biggest problem with baseball is they lost a generation of viewers by having 95% of their games at night. Unless it’s a World Series game, most children should be in bed by 10 PM, yet most games don’t get over until 10:30-11:00. Any good parent is not going to allow their children to stay up that late to watch a regular season baseball game. Now that DVR and TiVo have been invented, what’s the harm of having more day games? More day games equal more fan interest because kids can go to a game, especially in the summer time when school’s out. Speed up the pitchers and hitters and cut down on night games, watch your viewership increase automatically. Grown-Up Time Minor league baseball is a little different. Usually the games complete within 2 -2 ½ hours but their problem is they are too children-oriented. That’s not entirely a bad thing since children are the future
Do you want this guy yelling in your ear? Then why do stadiums continue to blast music louder than him right next to fans? fans, but when you make it I will say, though, American teams should have TOO children oriented, you that the NFL Commissioner long standing traditions or a lose the 18-34 demographic. needs to take Sgt Hulka’s rabid market for the game What do 18-34 year old men advice and “Lighten up because nobody cares about want? Something cool! Well, Francis!” Roger “The hockey in the Arizona desert you can’t really be cool when Emperor” Goodell has a habit or the predominately redneck you have an on-field DJ of excessively fining players southern states. telling the kids to hop up and and coaches for the most The Naughty NBA down during a crucial half pedestrian of penalties and Last, but certainly not inning, shouting in some poor offenses. New York Jets head least, is basketball. They have old man’s ear because “I don’t coach Rex Ryan was recently a problem that is unique to care, I love it!” is blasting fined $100,000 for swearing them: timeouts. In baseball, over the stadium speakers. on camera. Keep in mind that anyone can call time but the Too Much of a Good Thing NBA star Shaquille O’Neal umpires generally tell them to This is the perfect was fined $3,500 for making hurry it up. In football, each segue into what’s wrong with fun of officials and NHL team has 3 timeouts per half, professional football. There’s defensemen Andrew Ference not counting injuries. In hockno problem with game time as was fined $2,500 for flipping there are play and overall time the bird to the irate Montreal clocks to keep the game movForum. You mean to tell me ing. The problem is the stadidropping an F-bomb costs um’s soundman continuously, 97.5 grand more than throwrelentlessly, and needlessly ing up a middle finger? Heck, blasting music AFTER I could sell a collection from EVERY SINGLE PLAY! Fans Cask N Flaggin and in the stands can’t turn to their Hurricaine O’Reilly’s to pay left and tell the guy standing off the Ference fine. Most next to the, “Wow, that was a middle class individuals heck of a play.” because some would have to declare bankairhead in the sound booth ruptcy if they were hit with a decided to play the intro to 100K fine. Profanity and footWelcome To the Jungle for ball go hand in hand, which is the hundredth time! Any rock why it’s the most watched fan likes rock music, but not sport since it caters to the 18when they blast the same 34 demographic mentioned songs over and over and over earlier. again before and after every Equal Opportunity Hockey play. Baseball is notorious for Speaking of Ference, this too, but the real offenders there’s nothing really wrong are football and basketball. with hockey other than the Unlike baseball, Thursday, music blasting, night games, Sunday, and Monday Night and the fact that there aren’t Football are ok because not enough teams in Canada. many teams play too many Seriously, the USA really night games. An NFL team doesn’t need teams in Phoenix plays 16 games a season, and or Atlanta, and thankfully they 90% of them are one or four were able to relocate the pm. Once in a while is ok, but Atlanta Thrashers to a new not every night like baseball. version of the Winnipeg Jets. Football’s image problem is Canada invented hockey and being dealt with however, so it’s their national game; the there’s no need to go into that. more teams there, the better revenue they generate.
Page 7 – NSCC Pennon
ey, a team is allowed one timeout PER GAME. basketball has 6 per half and most all of them are spent in the final two minutes of a ballgame. During Game 7 of the first round playoff series between Boston and Chicago, the final few minutes took TWENTY minutes to complete. Each team calling timeout and going to commercial made it a living hell to watch. They should cut down to 3 timeouts per half, which would speed the game up tremendously. Of course, that’s the problem. Less timeouts mean fewer commercials which means less revenue for owners and the league…can’t have that right? That’s the REAL problem with every sport: there are too many commercials, but commercials mean advertising revenue and no owner or corporate suit would turn that down. Bottom line is there are ways to speed the games up and cater to the right demographics, but whether the leagues will choose to do so is anyone’s guess.
Four hour games turn fans grumpy in a hurry.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 8
Page 8 – NSCC Pennon
Page 8 – NSCC Pennon
CREATIVE WRITING AND POETRY
Mountains
Birdman Review
By Richard McLaughlin Contributing Writer
Mountains sit atop a tree covered land. Trees talk in envy of mountains so grand. Trees and mountains are both watched by a man. A man tempted to move for reasons he can’t understand.
Reason
By Richard McLaughlin Contributing Writer
It’s just passed twelve A.M. and I’m older now than I’ve ever been. It seems my fears will never end. I thought with age came reason But reason I can’t find As to why to hide from darkness I still close my eyes.
Simply lying in the grass By Richard McLaughlin Contributing Writer
The sun is less explosive than dandelions when the wind blows, I could reach the tops of trees if I fall asleep and Next to me, whistling to the birds and bees Is the girl I love so naturally. Cherry chap-stick lips, Orbit sweet mint gum, Thirty-two white knights guard her rosebud tongue, A Gaza strip of skin where her jeans and shirt fight for territory, All unseen by me otherwise my hands might intervene. I could have ruined the moment but luckily I’m just lying in the grass, With the girl I love so wildly.
Home
Every now and then a movie will come out of left field that's absolutely nothing like what else is going on at the time, this is one of them. Written and directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman is the story of a washed up movie actor (played by Michael Keaton) who made millions on playing a costumed crusader known as Birdman. Now wanting legitimate respect, he tries his luck at Broadway acting with a play he wrote and will act in. Battling schizophrenia, a harsh critic and ego, can he pull off the miracle? Now this was something unique. It captured the neverending debate between movie acting and stage acting to perfection. Play critic Tabitha (played by Lindsay Duncan) even mentions it in her outstanding monologue near the end of the movie. Sure a guy can dress up in a silly costume and make millions off the morons who are into it, but it take real guts to stand on stage where there are no takes or cuts, and pull off real human emo-
By Kristen Kosta Contributing Writer
It’s the calm after the storm that keeps me holding on
hope floods over like the tide floods over the washed out seashells and brings them back home it’s home they say, when your heart is there
but sometimes the storm carries hearts to the shore lost no perception of belonging until the calm
and the tide brings me home again
Michael Keaton in Birdman
By Kevin Hayes Community Contributor tion. Even though it was just a character, she was right. It really does take a lot of guts to memorize entire pages of lines and to be able to deliver them with emotion in front of a capacity crowd without screwing up. Its sad to wonder how Robert Downey Jr make millions upon millions for dressing up a Iron Man but stage actors in New York City can barely pay the bills while putting on great performances of Hamlet and various musicals. No offense to Robert of course, but that's pretty much the point of the film. Add in the schizophrenic elements of a man who's in a constant battle with himself and you got something that's easy to follow and easy to watch. When it comes to the acting in the film, they nailed it. Edward Norton got into his role as a complete jerk and delivered it so well, you really thought he really is a pompous actor. Emma Stone LOOKED and acted like she really was an exaddict one slip away from going
back to rehab. Michael Keaton didn't really have to act, he basically disappeared from the top dollar movie scene in the late 90's and only recently has been making a real comeback (Robocop, Toy Story 3). Zach Galifianakis sheds his usual quirky role for somewhat serious and even without being intentionally funny, he pulled off the role. Bottom line is you won't find Kramer vs Kramer here but what you will get is a movie that's dirty, messy and REAL. The characters are playing roles that could be any of us out there reading this. Anyone who's ever done stage acting will appreciate the struggles depicted here. Its not a bad way to spend 2 hours. The only drawbacks are it has a lot of salty language; brief nudity and the schizophrenia aspect may have some fans confused. If you can get through all that, you'll enjoy this film.
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:41 PM
Page 9
Spark: showcasing NSCC’s artistic talent By Calvin Javier Gil Editor in Chief Do you enjoy writing, drawing, or photography? Would you like to see your work published in a magazine? If so, consider submitting some of your works to Spark, NSCC’s annual literary and artistic magazine. Led by Matthew Woods of Student Life, Spark’s goal is to showcase the creativity and talent of NSCC’s student body. Matt and his team do this by compiling their best submissions into a visually dynamic anthology of creative writing, artwork, and photography, demonstrating the talent and diversity that NSCC has to offer. A committee of three to five students and facul-
ty members is formed to judge the submissions, scoring them based on creativity, technical finesse, and impact. After all the submissions are judged, those with the highest scores will be included in the final publication. Of course, this begs the question of what exactly Spark is looking for. The range of things you can submit to Spark is very broad, so don’t hesitate to submit because your piece is unique or unconventional. On a general level, Spark accepts various literary, artistic, and multimedia pieces, looking to showcase the many different interests present within the student body. As far as literature is concerned, Spark is looking for pieces that
Through This Storm We Do Not Walk Alone
By Beatrece Varga I know I sound a litle dark. I know I sound a little desperate but these are just discarded thoughts, feelings, hurts. We all hurt. we all, at times, feel discarded used broken. But, we are not alone. Though storms come though teardrops fall, Through this storm we do not walk alone. The lie is that we do. The lie is that we are singular in our pain. Yet, through this storm, we do not walk alone. We are unique and yet so very alike inside. We all have the same need to be loved, accepted cherished for the little bit that makes us unique, scared different Yet, through this storm, we do not walk alone. We all bleed the same. We all cry for the same needs. We all need to be loved just for who we are ... that is why I am convinced that Through this storm we do not walk alone.
could fall into the category of essays, literary criticism, journalism pieces, poetry, or short stories. The submissions should be 1000 words or less and the submitted file should be formatted in Microsoft Word or a similar word processor. For artistic submissions, Spark is looking for pieces that could fall into the category of drawn artwork, photography, or graphic design images. All images must be submitted in JPG, EPS, PDF, or TIF format, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. As for multimedia, Spark is looking exclusively for student-produced videos, such as short films or documentaries. The submissions must be three minutes long or less, and
should be submitted as .mov, .mp4, .avi, or .wmv files. Still unsure whether or not your piece would fit in Spark? Want to get a better feel for what Spark is all about? Below are a few examples of artwork, writing, and photography that have been previously published in Spark Magazine. Through these examples, we are attempting to convey the diversity, creativity, and talent that Spark Magazine seeks in its submissions. The deadline to submit to the 2015 issue of Spark Magazine is Monday, February 27th, 2015, so be sure to send in your submissions as soon as possible. You can submit a
maximum of five pieces to the magazine, and you can do so in one of two ways. The first option you have is simply emailing to the Spark team at SPARK@northshore.edu, putting Spark Literary Submission, Spark Artistic Submission, or Spark Multimedia Submission in the subject line. If you would prefer to submit your pieces in person, you can put them on a USB flash drive and drop them off at the Student Life office in Lynn or Danvers. We look forward to reading your submissions!
Sundays with Elvis By Shannon Krisko
It’s Sunday and Marie is getting ready for her weekly date. The coffee is brewing and she looks anxiously at the clock. The time seems to pass at pack-a-day joggers pace. Her coffee steams her glasses as she fidgets on the couch. She tries to avoid the acidic odor seeping from the litter box that she needs to clean, but she has to wait for an old friend to show up. The clock on the cable box reads eight and she knows its time. He never knocks. It is strange but he only shows up when she turns the radio on. Marie’s back aches as she reaches for the dial and finds the familiar local Oldie’s station. It’s time and HE is here. Elvis has entered the building. Like a school girl, Marie’s face glows, her body lightens and her energy is renewed. He doesn’t mind the mess because it is part of their agreement. She will bring him back to life for three hours every Sunday and he will hold the dust pan. Sometimes Elvis gets cross at Marie when the cat’s fur invades his rhinestone jacket but the coffee and conversation is worth it. He sings to her as she dusts and she always has to remind him to quiet down because her daughter is sleeping.
Occasionally their conversations turn dark as they share their struggles with self-loathing and addiction. Marie will often bring up the death of her mother and how hard 1977 was. Elvis hates when she brings up Lillian’s death because it reminds him of his own mortality. But too soon, time’s up, the house is clean and the little girl is awake. Good-bye Elvis. See you next Sunday.
Clairliens by Kasia Kawczynski
Self Portrait by Kyle Johnson
Page 9 – NSCC Pennon
River Sunset by Tony Orlando
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
Page 10 – NSCC Pennon
1/23/15
1:42 PM
Page 10
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
1:42 PM
Page 11
Page 11 – NSCC Pennon
Important Numbers Lynn Campus: (781) 593-6722 DanversCampus: (978) 762-4000 Beverly Cummings Center (978) 236-1200
Library: Lynn: (781) 477-2133 Danvers: (978) 762-4000 x5526 Book Store: Lynn: (781) 477 2127 Danvers: (978) 762-4200 Weather Hotline: (978) 762 4200
Club Directory
Academic Clubs: Aviation: John Kreeft Criminal Justice: Ann Koshivas Debate Club: Yusef Hayes Food Science Club: Greg Reppucci French-Spanish Club: Irene Fernandez Phi Theta Kappa: Fred Altieri Pre-Med Club: Ray Parker SOTA: Mary Malone Sophmore nursing Club Special Interest Clubs: Art Club: James Chisholm Energy Club: George Walsh Engineering: Mary Beth Steigerwald Environmental Club: Joseph Modugno Film Club: John Zamparelli Media Club: Jim Harrington Multi-Cultural Society: Espy Herrera Muslim Association: Yusef Hayes Philosophy Club: Fred Altieri Queer Straight Alliance: Anne Tabet & Donna Rosato STARS Club: Nancy Tufo Surfriders Club: Sean Hanlon Veterans Club: Mike Monagle Youth Group United: Alexander Guzman Women in Transition: Margaret Figgins-Hill
jkreeft@northshore.edu
Akoshivas@northshore.edu yhayes@northshore.edu greppucc@northshore.edu ifernand@northshore.edu faltieri@northshore.edu
Health S Services
HIV T Testing esting & Infor Information on STDs fidential Fr e e & C o n LLynn ynn Health Ser Services vice LW-126 TTuesday, ue sday, February Fe bruar y 10 & 24 11am - 1pm
Te s t i n g & g n i l e Couns
Danvers Health Services DB-108 Thursday, February 12 & 26 11am - 1pm
Lynn L ynn
COMMUNITY
health CENTER
rparker@northshore.edu
Kisses & Condoms doms
mmalone@northshore.edu jchishol@northshore.edu
Tuesday, 2/10 Lynn Thursday, 2/12 Danvers 11am-1pm Outside cafeteria
gwalsh@northshore.edu msteiger@northshore.edu
Lynn ynn
COMMUNITY
jmodugno@northshore.edu jzampare@northshore.edu jharriso06@northshore.edu eherrera@northshore.edu yhayes@northshore.edu faltieri@northshore.edu
health CENTER
Need Health Insurance? Free & affordable subsidized health insurance programs
Lynn Tuesday 2/10 & 2/24 Danvers Thursday 2/12 & 2/26 Outside cafeteria 11am - 1pm
atabet@northshore.edu drosato@northshore.edu ntufo@northshore.edu shanlon@northshore.edu mmonagle@northshore.edu aguzman@northshore.edu mfiggins@northshore.edu
Organizations
Pennon: Matthew Woods Performing Arts Council: Matthew Woods Program Council: Lisa Milso Student Government: Stephen Creamer
F br February Activities
matwoods@northshore.edu matwoods@northshore.edu lmilso@northshore.edu
screamer@northshore.edu
Pregnancy Options & Support Danvers Campus 2/10 & 2/24 L ynn Campus 2/1 1 & 2/25 Lynn 2/11 Outside cafeteria 1 1am - 1pm 11am
Stress Less LLynn ynn McGee
T’ai T ’ai Chi LE LE-140 -140
Wednesdays Wednesdays 12:30 - 1:15pm
Danvers Dan vers Math & SSciences ciences PiYo PiYo DS DS-106C -106C
T Tuesdays uesdays & Frida Fridays ys 12:20 - 1pm Bring a yoga mat or ttowel owel
T’ai T ’ai Chi DS DS-106C -106C
Thur Thursdays sdays 12:30 - 1:15pm
ĂĐƵůƚLJ Θ ƐƚĂī ƚƐ͕ ĨĂĐƵůƚLJ Θ Ɛ ƚƐ͕ Ĩ ĞŶƚƐ͕ ĨĂĐƵůƚLJ Θ ƐƚĂī &ƌĞĞ͊͊ KƉĞŶ ƚŽ ƐƚƵĚĞŶ &ƌĞĞ͊͊ KƉĞŶ ƚŽ ƐƚƵĚ
January-February 2015:May Issue.QXD
1/23/15
Page 12 – NSCC Pennon
By Sandy Rochon Alumni Coordinator The theme of this month’s Pennon is innovative, inspiring ideas. With this in mind, this Alumni Corner is dedicated to some creative NSCC grads who “think outside the box” and challenge us to do the same. Patrick Quinlan, an early adopter of clean energy Patrick’s career has been focused on wind power, clean energy technology and policy development since the early 80’s. He graduated from NSCC’s Occupational Health and Safety program in 1978. He continued his education and began working in California in the early 80’s on early wind farm development, electric vehicle introductions and renewable energy projects. Later, in Washington D.C., he worked at the White House as an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellow, as a congressional staffer, and worked for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Returning to Massachusetts, Patrick was associate director of The Wind
1:42 PM
Page 12
Alumni Corner: Innovative, Inspiring Ideas
Patrick Quinlan Energy Center at UMass at Amherst and is currently the CEO of Black Island Wind Turbines.
Verne Rupright, change of scenery: from Lynn to Alaska This Lynn, MA native served two terms as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (home of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin). Verne served in the military after high school then began his higher educa-
Midday T’ai Chi Health Services will be offering a six week introductory T’ai Chi class during the spring semester led by North Shore T’ai Chi Club owner, John Toy. Also known as meditation in motion, T’ai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that coordinates breathing with a series of gentle movements. People who practice Tai Chi arts all around the world experience lifechanging improvement in their overall health and well-being. Lynn campus Wednesdays 12:30-1:15pm McGee LE-140 Danvers campus Thursdays 12:30-1:15pm Math & Sciences DS-106C
Classes begin January 28th and space is limited. Must commit to 6-weeks. Please reserve your spot with Elsy in Lynn Health Services LW-126 equinter@northshore.edu or Sherri in Danvers Health Services DB108 smcneil@northshore.edu.
Verne Rupright
Mary Palmer
tion at NSCC, graduating in 1976 with a degree in Law Enforcement. He relocated to Alaska, inspired by a temporary duty assignment on his way to serve in Vietnam and looking for new and different experiences. He fell in love with the beauty of Alaska, continued his education on a parttime basis and went to law school at 38 years old. After a career there as an attorney in defense and personal injury
law and a variety of public service roles, he was elected mayor of Wasilla in 2008. Mary Palmer, literary cookbook author 1994 NSCC alum Mary Palmer has combined her degree in English, her love of literature and her passion for cooking to create a niche career. She describes her widely acclaimed and very successful “Cuchina di Calabria: Treasured Recipes
and Family Traditions from Southern Italy” as a “literary cookbook”. In addition to the 200 recipes, the book includes a collection of essays, historical information behind the recipes and the region they originate from, data on some of the Italian customs, folklore, festivals and holidays related to the dishes. She is also a free-lance writer with much of her work focused on food and travel writing for newspapers. Do you know an NSCC grad doing great things? Let us know! Contact Alumni Coordinator Sandy Rochon at srochon@northshore.edu